Flash
The Flash, real name Wally West, was the fastest man alive. A young and popular superhero from Central City, the Flash was a founding member of the Justice League. Apart from his vast speed powers, Wally's most significant qualities were his approachability and his down-to-earth, quintessentially human nature--qualities that many said made him the "heart of the Justice League". In his civilian life, Wally West worked as a forensic scientist with the Central City Police Department. Powers & Abilities The Flash had the ability to move and react at incredible speeds, many orders of magnitude greater than those of ordinary humans. He could run at velocities approaching that of light itself. The Flash found many other applications for his superspeed. One was the ability to generate whirlwinds by rotating his arms at an incredible rate or by running in circles. These whirlwinds could be used to buffet opponents, or perhaps to cushion the impact of falling people or objects; Flash could even use such a whirlwind to propel himself through the air briefly. The Flash also had the ability to vibrate his molecules at tremendous speed, allowing him to pass unharmed through solid objects. The unstable resonance created by these vibrations would frequently cause objects to shatter or explode, however, and for that reason Flash seldom if ever used this ability. Equipment The Flash used little in the way of specialized equipment. His costume could be compressed to a tiny fraction of its ordinary size, allowing it to be stored in a hidden compartment within a specially-designed ring. Wally could therefore carry his costume with him at all times, allowing him to respond instantly to any unexpected situation that might require his attention. Wally kept a number of spare costume rings in a drawer in his apartment. History The precise circumstances of the incident in which Wally West gained his powers have never been fully revealed. It appears that Wally was the subject of a freak accident in which lightning struck a rack of chemicals in a laboratory; somehow this combination endowed Wally with the fantastic speed powers for which he would become renowned. Adopting the costumed identity of the Flash, Wally fought to protect the people of Central City from all threats, particularly those of the criminal variety. One such criminal was the extortionist Mark Mardon, who would later become known as the Weather Wizard. A variety of costumed villains, most employing high-tech equipment, would arise to challenge the Flash; a by-no-means complete list would include Captain Cold, Captain Boomerang, the Mirror Master, the Trickster, the Turtle-Man, Abra Kadabra, Dr. Alchemy, Mr. Element, the Top, the Pied Piper, and Gorilla Grodd. In addition to dealing with the threat posed by his impressive "Rogues' Gallery", the Flash also devoted his time and energies to public service and charitable activities. One significant charity event was the Flash's celebrated race with Superman, a challenge intended to determine which of the two heroes was truly worthy of the title, "The Fastest Man Alive." Along with Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, and Wonder Woman, The Flash was one of the heroes summoned to aid Superman, Batman, and J'onn J'onnz in defeating the Imperium invasion. In the aftermath of that conflict, Superman suggested that the seven heroes band together to form the Justice League. The Flash, appropriately enough, was the first to agree to Superman's idea. Wally served with distinction through the early phase of the Justice League's existence, although his sometimes brash and impulsive nature tended to clash with his teammate's personalities. At one point, the Flash went so far as to sign a lucrative endorsement deal hawking Lightspeed Power Bars--a move whose motives of personal gain met with a certain disapproval from the other Leaguers. When the Justice League was expanded following the Thanagarian invasion, the Flash devoted more of his time to protecting Central City, instead of participating in League activities on a full-time basis. Nonetheless, Flash still sat alongside his fellow founding members in providing oversight to the new, larger Justice League, and was involved in many of the League's large-scale operations. The Flash played a vital role in battling the combined Luthor/Brainiac entity, pushing his speed powers to their limit and tapping into the speed force to seperate the two villains and end the threat. Flash was very nearly pulled into the speed force, but was rescued by his teammates. The incident left Flash with the disturbing possibility that travelling that fast again might mean he would never come back. The Flash eventually came to be so well-regarded by the people of Central City that a Flash Appreciation Day was held in his honor. The day's main event was the dedication of the Flash Museum, a shrine to the speedster's exploits. Even an attempt by members of the Rogues' Gallery to kill the Flash, in which the new museum was all but wrecked, was unable to mar the occasion. Personality As a young hero, Wally West was given to immaturity and impetuousness. The Flash would frequently meet even the gravest threats with a flippant remark (often showing a certain underestimation of the true danger of the situation), and he was somewhat given to flirtatious behavior around members of the opposite sex (much to Hawkgirl's annoyance). Wally's heroism and bravery were beyond question, of course, and he brought a laid-back, down-to-earth quality to the Justice League. He was in many ways the most idealistic member of the League, and his friendliness and compassion were the glue that held the disparate team of heroes together. These qualities are best illustrated by events in the alternate universe of the Justice Lords, in which the Flash's death transformed the League from heroes to tyrants. These qualities also lie at the heart of the Flash's great popularity in Central City. The Flash is on a first-name basis with many of the city's residents, and it is evident that he genuinely cares for the people he protects. External Links *Flash at Wikipedia **Wally West at Wikipedia *Flash (JL Bio) at the World's Finest **Flash (JLU Bio) **Flash (STAS Bio) *Flash: Those Who Ride The Lightning Category:Superheroes Category:Metahumans Category:Justice League members